The Marine Strategy in Campania region (Southern Italy): monitoring of Audouin’s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) breeding colonies over the period 2018 - 2023

Abstract

The first nesting of Audouin’s Gull Ichthyaetus audouinii in Campania was observed in 1993 along the southern coasts of Cilento. After an irregular beginning, with a reduced number of pairs, the situation has become more stable, also due to the colonization of Phlegrean and Sorrento-Amalfi coasts, starting from 2006, whereas in the first years of 2000s, the species resulted extinct in Cilento. Since 2006, nesting has been regular over the years, although the number of pairs, colonies,
and sites changed over time. The number of breeding pairs has decreased, while the adult population seems stable. In some cases, this phenomenon could be due to the high disturbance of colonies by natural predators and human activities.